An overview of the role of governments in broadband development and strategies

Today, the importance of communication especially in cyberspace has grown rapidly so that it has been recognized as a strategy for development. Although there are controversies about the effectiveness of the speed of the Internet and its new technologies on the economy, but dominance of positive economic effects on its negative ones, has made most developed countries and developing countries, trying to increase the access of people and economic institutions to broadband technology. Among different factors affecting the development of this technology, many experts believe that the public sector plays the most important role in the production and use of broadband services. This study is aimed to study the experience of leading countries in the field of broadband technology and scrutinizing government policies in the development of broadband technology. Using analytic-descriptive methodology, the results of this study confirms the important role of governments interest in the development of broadband technology and the need for policy-making in this technology. These policies can be grouped under three headings of public policies, supply-side policies and demand-side policies.